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So if you’ve been momentarily confused recently by listening to President Obama on the campaign trail and wondering if you were somehow hearing things, if perhaps your mind was playing a trick on you, that could be understandable. The president has begun favoring a familiar catchphrase in his speeches to express his disbelief over how the election cycle and our country’s political discourse has developed (and deteriorated): C’mon, man!
No, that’s not ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown crew and their popular highlights segment worming its way into your brain through your ears. Trent Dilfer, Charles Woodson, Steve Young, Randy Moss and Matt Hasselback haven’t suddenly taken over the news and politics coverage you’re watching, hosted by Suzy Kolber.
That is indeed the President of the United States denouncing Republican candidate Donald Trump and advocating for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton with the same catchphrase used to criticize somebody for a dumb play on the football field.
Except President Obama isn’t talking about a receiver dropping the ball before the goal line while celebrating or a referee penalizing a player for showing some on-field enthusiasm. He’s referring to, among other things, the idea that the 2016 presidential election is a conspiracy among global elites.
From the New York Times:
“This is a guy who, like, tweets they should cancel ‘Saturday Night Live,’” the president bellowed Thursday in Miami, making fun of Donald J. Trump for complaining about Alec Baldwin’s portrayal of him. “Really? I mean, that’s the thing that bothers you, and you want to be president of the United States? C’mon, man!”
As the NY Times‘ Michael D. Shear reports, this wasn’t something that President Obama’s communications staff recommend he work into his campaign speeches. He came up with this one on his own, surely influenced by his frequent ESPN viewing while traveling the country.
Naturally, they noticed over in Bristol, as ESPN NFL studio shows producer Seth Markman told Shear.
“We immediately said he’s watching our show,” Mr. Markman said in an interview on Thursday.
“It’s hard to mistake it for anything else. We were flattered, to be honest with you. It’s always great when one of these things moves past sports and moves into a bigger pool.”
What makes this even funnier is that people attending the president’s speeches and rallies have come to expect him saying those two words. It’s like waiting for the Rolling Stones to play “Satisfaction” at a concert.
This is funny. My son asked me during a recent Monday Night Football pre-game if the @espn guy got "C'mon man!" from Obama. https://t.co/p3YriiBc02
— Dan Senor (@dansenor) November 4, 2016
Was it also possible that the president adopted the phrase after this infamous clip of former Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo? If he follows Washington Post writer Chris Cillizza on Twitter, he’s likely seen the video or quote more than a few times.
Orakpo’s infamous sideline exasperation might apply even more to the current and future political climate in Washington, especially if the Republican candidate Obama opposes wins the White House. But probably not, since the president isn’t using the full quote. The shorter “C’mon, man!” is quicker and catchier.
https://vine.co/v/iKEDpMYIz7z
What we don’t yet know, but hopefully learn before Election Day, is how former ESPN analyst Cris Carter feels about the president’s use of “C’mon, man!” without him.
